Did you know that there’s more to sorting your laundry than just tossing it in the washing machine? Follow these tips to get the best results when it comes to laundry – so your white t-shirts don’t end up pink.

Sorting your laundry seems pretty easy, right? Just toss it all in the washing machine and go on about your day.

Nope. It’s not as simple as that. Unless you want your white t-shirts to end up an odd shade of pink or some other weird color. (Yes, this has happened to me.)

If you don’t want that to happen, then it’s best to learn how to sort your laundry the right way. Follow the tips below to get the best results on laundry day.

Sorting Your Laundry 101

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• Sort by clothing type: Make sure you read the tags before throwing the item in the washing machine. Some clothes need to be washed by hand and some need to be laid flat to dry.
  • Towels: Towels produce a lot of lint, which sticks to other types of clothing. Wash towels separately or with sheets and blankets. However, I prefer to wash a load of towels separate from everything else.
  • Heavier items: Heavier items, such as sweatshirts and hoodies, take longer to dry than lighter ones. Overdrying clothing can ruin the fiber in clothing.
  • Specialty clothes: Clothes that have zippers and buttons should be washed separately from knit clothing and lingerie because they can tear those types of clothing in the wash.
• Sort by color: Keep colors separate so the dyes do not bleed onto other clothing items.
  • Whites: Whites should stay with whites because you want them to stay white. All it takes is one red sock to ruin a load of white socks and t-shirts. Also, whites should be washed in a warmer water temperature for the best result.
  • Bright Colors: Pinks, oranges, purples, and reds can be mixed together. However, reds are known for bleeding onto other fabrics, so wash reds separately if you’re unsure.
• Sort by the amount of dirt: Clothing that is badly stained or has a lot of dirt on it should be washed separately from other clothing and on a longer, heavy-duty cycle.
• Check pockets: Don’t forget to check all the pockets before putting them into the wash. Receipts and gum can cause a huge mess! (Speaking from experience here!)
• Turn clothes inside out: Turning your clothes inside out protects them during the wash and keeps jeans from turning white at the seams.
• Pretreat: Make sure you pretreat any stains before washing. Otherwise, the stain will set in and never come out. Click here to see how to pretreat stains with baking soda.

Following these steps to sorting your laundry will prevent any major laundry disasters. I’ve had quite a few of those and it didn’t take me long to learn what to do before every wash.

How do you sort your laundry? What method works best for you?

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For more cleaning and organizing tips, I recommend these:
How to Let Go of Sentimental Stuff
How to Clean Your Mattress the Right Way
10 Best Organizers for Your Bedroom
Bedroom Organizing Ideas That Will Work for Anyone

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